Roll-up door



p 1964 G. CHI'EGER EI'AL ROLL-UP DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 31, 1962 lENTORS. 7' 6 7 e 7 75/360257 a. $021 270;

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Sept. 15, 1964 G. CHIEGER ETAL ROLL-UP DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 31, 1962 INVENTORS. e Cireyer or 6', Jazz/Z42 5:

7 wwzys United States Patent "cc 3,148,724 ROLL-UP DOOR George Chieger, Grosse Pointe Woods, and Theodor C.

Schubach, Detroit, Mich, assignors to Fruehauf Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 248,471 1 Claim. (Cl. 160-40) This invention relates generally to closure members and more particularly to an improved roll-up door.

Roll-up doors usable on, for example, heavy duty highway vehicles, are required to positively seal the van or enclosure thereof to preclude the infiltration of rain, debris, and other foreign material incident to movement of the vehicle along the highway. Further, such roll-up doors must be relatively easily and smoothly operable between the open and closed condition. Also, there should not be excessive variation in the closing or opening force requirements.

Yet another requirement of such roll-up doors is that the junction between adjacent panels of the door be protected to preclude insertion of any form of tool or bar usable to pry the door to the open condition to preclude pilferage from the interior of the vehicle. Also, the panels of the door should at all times be positively biased relative to one another to preclude clattering or excessive relative movement between the door panels.

A roll-up door in accordance with an exemplary constructed embodiment of the instant invention satisfies the foregoing requirements to a heretofore unknown degree. The roll-up door features a novel resilient hinge bar that interconnects adjacent panels of the door. The hinge bar is maintained in a vertical tension so that, when the door is closed, tension on the hinge bar eflects positive sealing between the adjacent panels. The hinge bar is provided with a sealing lip or rib that is positively compressed be tween the adjacent panels to further augment sealing of the door. The door panels are provided with novel end members or plugs that function as guides for the door ,to insure smooth and easy movement thereof within a complementary track. The door panels are, in one embodiment, provided with a novel overlap to preclude insertion of a knife or other form of tool thereby to preclude pilfering from the interior of the vehicle.

Accordingly, one object of the instant invention is an improved roll-up door.

Another object is an improved means for joining adjacent panels of a roll-up door.

Another object is a hinge means for the panels of a rollup door that efiects a positive seal between the panels.

Another object is a hinge bar for a roll-up door that precludes rattling of the door panels.

Another object is a roll-up door having panels that preclude the insertion of a knife between the panels.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following specification, claims and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a heavy duty high way vehicle having a roll-up door in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the door panel and door frame;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a modified embodiment of the instant invention; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of yet another embodiment of the instant invention.

As best seen in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a roll-up 3,148,724 Patented Sept. 15, 1964 door 10, in accordance with an exemplary constructed embodiment of the instant invention, is shown in operative association with a van-type vehicle 12. The vehicle 12 is conventional in construction, the roll-up door 10 being movable vertically to open the rear end thereof for the acceptance and discharge of goods.

As best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the roll-up door 10 extends between a pair of laterally spaced posts 14 and 16 that form the rearmost vertical edges of a pair of side walls 18 and 20, respectively, of the van 12. The door 10 is rollable vertically between the posts 14 and 16 in a pair of complementary trackways 22 and 24 that are secured to the posts 14 and 16, respectively, as by a plurality of machine screws 28. The trackways 22 and 24 have a pair of vertically extending recesses 30 and 32 therein, respectively, for the acceptance of complementary enlarged slide portions 34 and 36 of a pair of end plugs 38 and 40. The end plugs are molded from nylon.

The guideways 22 and 24 have a pair of vertically extending channels 42 and 44 therein for the acceptance of complementary sealing strips 46 and 48, respectively, that are preferably made from, for example, rubber.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the door 10 comprises a plurality of horizontally extending panels 50, preferably aluminum extrusions, having generally circular recesses or channels 52 and 54 along the upper end lower edges thereof, respectively. The panels 50 are of hollow construction defined by a pair of channels 56 and 58 that accept complementary inwardly extending flanges 60 and 62 on the end plugs 38 and 40, respectively.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the panels 50 are joined to one another by a resilient hinge bar 70 made from, for example, rubber. The hinge bar 70 has a pair of generally circular bead portions 72 and 74 thereon that are complementary to and engageable within the recesses 52 and 54 in the panels 50, respectively. The hinge bar 70 has a laterally extending sealing lip 76 thereon between the bead portions 72 and 74 that is compressibly engageable between opposed outer edge portions 78 and 80 on the panels 50 to preclude the infiltration of rain and foreign material into the van enclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawings, a pair of modified door panels are joined to one another by a resilient hinge bar 92 having generally circular bead portions 94 and 96 that are engageable in complementary lower and upper generally circular recesses 98 and 100, respectively, in the panels 90. Opposed outer edge portions 102 and 104 on the lower and upper edge portions of the panels 90 are provided with a downwardly extending flange 106 and a complementary recess 108, respectively. The flange 106 overlaps a laterally extending sealing lip 110 on the hinge bar 92 to preclude insertion of, for example, a knife. The flange 106 on the panel 90 also protects the sealing lip 110 of the hinge bar 92 against damage from debris and the outside environment.

As best seen in FIG. 6, another embodiment of the instant invention comprises a pair of panels joined to one another by a resilient hinge bar 122. The hinge bar 122 has a pair of generally circular bead portions 124 and 126 that are accepted in complementary generally circular edge portions 128 and 130 in the lower and upper edges, respectively, of the panels 120. The resilient hinge bar 122 has a laterally extending sealing lip 132 of step-like configuration that is sealably compressed between opposed outer edge portions 134 and 136 on the panels 120. The edge portions 134 and 136 have a pair of knife-like sealing ribs 138 and 140 thereon, respectively, that efiect a predetermined bite or compression with the sealing lip 132 on the resilient hinge bar 122.

From the foregoing description, it should be apparent that the resilient hinge bar is the sole connection between the door panels and is thereby tensioned due to the weight of the panels. Such tension on the hinge bar ellects a tight sealing action between the beads on the hinge bar and the complementary recesses in the door panels. In addition, with the doors in the closed condition, the sealing lip on the hinge bar is compressed between opposed outer edge portions of the door panels to effect a positive seal therebetween.

Tensioning of the hinge bar, which induces a reaction force, also prevents clattering or extensive movement of the door panels relative to one another.

The use of molded nylon end plugs for the extruded panels having enlarged end portions that are slidably received in the vertically extending guide channels for the door both controls friction and reduces rattling and maintenance to a minimum.

The vertically extending sealing beads are maintained in contact with the door panels to seal the panels relative to the guide channels.

Further, provision of a flange on one edge portion of each panel, in one embodiment, precludes entry of, for example, a knife into the resilient hinge bar.

In yet another embodiment of the instant invention, the sealing force of the panels on the sealing lip of the resilient hinge bar is augmented by a pair of continuous sealing or pressure ribs on the panels.

It is to be understood that the improved constructions for the roll-up door herein disclosed and described are presented for the purpose of explanation and illustration and are not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

A roll-up door for closing an opening in a wall of a vehicle or the like comprising a plurality of hollow elongated panels having 1ongitudinally extending recesses in the edge portions thereof, respectively,

an elongated resilient hinge bar having longitudinally extending bead portions complementary to the recesses in said panels so as to be accepted therein, said hinge bar having a longitudinally extending seal ing lip between the bead portions thereof sealably engageable between opposed edge portions of said door panels,

a pair of vertically extending trackways on opposite sides of the opening having laterally spaced parallel walls, respectively, relative to the longitudinal axis of said panels, and

a pair of molded plastic end plugs at opposite ends of said panels, respectively, having integral arcuate oppositely enlarged portions extending laterally of said panels so as to be slidably received in said trackways, the enlarged portions of said end plugs being engaged with the parallel walls on said trackways to facilitate vertical movement of said door relative to said trackway yet preclude rattling therebetween, respectively.

References (Jilted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 546,858 Kinnear Sept. 24, 1895 1,707,287 Sudzki Apr. 2, 1929 2,307,560 Apel Jan. 5, 1943 2,311,470 Ritter Feb. 16, 1943 2,831,537 Ritter Apr. 22, 1958 2,952,313 Stroup Sept. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 614,566 Canada Feb. 14, 1961 

